Rapid enrichment of biomolecules using simultaneous liquid and particulate dielectrophoresis
Abstract
Here we show that dielectrophoretic (DEP) liquid actuation can be used to dispense arrays of nanoliter-sized droplets loaded with biomolecules. Size-based enrichment of these biomolecules occurs rapidly and simultaneously with the droplet dispensing. The physical mechanism responsible for the effect is the positive DEP force directed toward the electrodes that is imposed by the non-uniform electric field during the very rapid DEP actuated flow before droplet formation. Experiments conducted with a suspension of lambda DNA (molecular weight: 31.5 × 103 kDa) and lectin